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As received from the O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home:
Calumet: Harold Richard “Dick” Fields of Calumet passed away at the age of 92 at Mission Point Nursing Home in Hancock on November 1, 2021 after a brief illness.
Dick was born in Watertown, New York on September 8, 1929 to Harvey Fields and Jennie Allen. After high school graduation he enlisted and served our country in the Air Force, where he met the love of his life, Gertrude “Trudy” Isaacson. They married in Great Falls, Montana on October 6, 1953. After 6 years in the Air Force, they moved to Black River, NY and started a family. Dick was Commander of American Legion Post 673 in Black River, NY from 1958-1959. He also served the community as a member of the Black River Fire Department from 1962 – 1973, including as Vice President, President and a Member of the Board of Directors. He worked for the Overhead Door Company, and eventually went into business for himself as the owner of Dick’s Over Door Company. Dick, Trudy and their four children were active in the church. He took tremendous pride in serving as the Chairman of the Building Committee to build the new Concordia Lutheran Church in Watertown, NY, which was dedicated in September of 1971.
The family relocated to Trudy’s hometown of Calumet, Michigan. There Dick tended bar, was an Assistant Manager of the Houghton Big Boy, a supervisor at the Copper Country Workshop, and manager of the concessions and skate rentals at the Bi-Centennial Arena. The lifelong train enthusiast again went into business for himself, this time as the owner of Dick’s Caboose and Freight Depot, a long standing business in downtown Laurium that served hobbyists of all kinds throughout the Keweenaw. The store also operated as a convenient UPS shipping location for the community. As he connected with more and more local model train fans, he founded the Copper Range Model Railroad Club.
Dick logged many miles over his years as a volunteer driver for the Family Independence Agency, taking the poor and needy to doctor’s appointments, dialysis, etc. both locally and as far away as the Mayo Clinic and the University of Michigan Hospitals. He was also a volunteer driver for Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, driving seniors to their special events and dinners. He was the emergency chaperone for the teen dances at the Laurium Village Hall, filling in on short notice when someone else couldn’t make it so the dance wouldn’t have to be cancelled. Dick was active with the CHS Band Boosters, a member and usher at National Lutheran in Calumet and then Bethany Lutheran in Mohawk.
Dick and Trudy were snowbirds and then retired to Zephyrhills, Florida, where Trudy passed away in 2005. Recently he returned to the Copper Country and up until his last month or so he was a volunteer at the Community Center and an active docent at the Copper Country Firefighters History Museum, both in Calumet.
He was honored to participate in many survivor laps at Relay for Life events while always lighting a luminaria in memory of Trudy. In addition to trains, Dick also enjoyed photography starting with his brownie camera, genealogy, boating, fishing, playing and calling bingo, U of M sports, live music of all varieties, solving sudoku, bowling, golf, camping with family, people watching and eating free food. A lifetime of service, he could be stubborn and opinionated, but he was fiercely loyal to friends, full of pride and love for his family and devout in his faith.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, his siblings Alanson (Genevieve), Frank (Barbara), Harvey (Millie), Norma (Slim) Gardner, his wife Trudy, a daughter Denise Marshall, and a brother in law Uno Isaacson. He is survived by three children Diane (Fred) Funkey, Daniel (Sherry Hodges) Fields, Jennie (Pete) Dalton, and one son in law Steven Marshall; four granddaughters, Heather Marshall, Jessica (Jeff Klein) Fields, RaeAnn (Mike) Duer, Loni (Nic) Johnston; eight grandkids, Ian and Ryan Jarrard, Megan, Kaycee, Liam and Erin Duer, Zoey and Oliver Johnston; one sister in law Agnes Isaacson; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, great great nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends.
The family would like to thank the staff at Aspirus Calumet, VA Clinic Hancock, Mission Point in Hancock and Mercy Ambulance for their skilled and compassionate care.
Cremation has taken place and there will be no services. The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home is in charge of services. Please go to www.oneilldennisfh.com to leave online condolences.
